U.S. patent number 5,941,272 [Application Number 08/767,106] was granted by the patent office on 1999-08-24 for three way universal valve.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Imaginair, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert M. Feldman.
United States Patent |
5,941,272 |
Feldman |
August 24, 1999 |
Three way universal valve
Abstract
A valve assembly for inflatable bladders, including beds, balls,
toys, and other inflatable objects includes a locking mechanism
within the valve for releasably holding the valve opened. The valve
acts in three distinct ways. In a first way the valve is closed
maintaining the bladder internal pressure. In a second way the
valve may be incrementally opened by a user to release the internal
pressure to suit the user. In a third way the valve may be opened
and locked or latched to remain open allowing the deflation of the
bladder. A spring provides a return force to close the valve when
the lock is not engaged. Air pressure from outside the bladder
supplied by a pump or the like will force the valve diaphragm open
against the spring and allow air to enter. The diaphragm is made of
a resilient seal material. The locking mechanism is engaged by
pressing the diaphragm open and twisting to engage a lock. When the
lock is further twisted or twisted in the reverse direction the
lock is disengaged allowing the spring and internal air pressure to
close the valve. The valve can be pressed from the exterior to open
the valve, without engaging the lock, for a selectable time such
that the pressure within the bladder can be adjusted. Adapters may
be used with the valve assembly so that different air blowers can
be used to inflate the bladder.
Inventors: |
Feldman; Robert M. (Newton,
MA) |
Assignee: |
Imaginair, Inc. (Wauconda,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
25078497 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/767,106 |
Filed: |
December 4, 1996 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/223; 251/213;
251/284; 5/706; 251/287 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
27/081 (20130101); Y10T 137/3584 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
27/08 (20060101); A47C 027/08 (); F16K
015/20 () |
Field of
Search: |
;137/223,230,226
;251/213,284,286,287 ;152/427,429,431 ;5/706 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Walton; George L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Mason, Kolehmainen, Rathburn &
Wyss
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A valve assembly for inflating and deflating a bladder having a
bladder wall for separating an interior and an exterior of said
bladder, said valve assembly comprising:
a valve housing disposed in an opening of said wall, said valve
housing having a fluid passageway for providing fluid communication
between said interior and said exterior of said bladder and having
an outer attaching surface for hermetically sealing said valve
housing to said bladder wall;
a lip disposed in said passageway providing a valve seat;
a stem disposed in said passageway, said stem being movable within
said passageway with respect to said valve seat;
a resilient sealing means mounted on said stem within said
passageway, said stem being movable to a closed position whereby
said sealing means is in contact with said valve seat thereby
closing said fluid communication through said passageway and to a
open position whereby said sealing means in displaced from said
valve seat thereby opening said fluid communication through said
passageway;
a support means extending into said passageway, said support means
comprising a frame extending in said housing across said
passageway;
a biasing member associated with said sealing means for urging said
sealing means against said valve seat, said biasing member being a
spring with a first end attached to said frame and a second end
attached to said sealing means;
a first locking means on said stem; and
a second locking means extending into said passageway and
selectively engageable with said first locking means, said stem
being maintained in said open position against the urgence of said
biasing member and said sealing means is maintained displaced from
said valve seat when said first and second locking means are
engaged.
2. A valve assembly for inflating and deflating a bladder having a
bladder wall for separating an interior and an exterior of said
bladder, said valve assembly comprising:
a valve housing disposed in an opening of said wall, said valve
housing having a fluid passageway for providing fluid communication
between said interior and said exterior of said bladder and having
an outer attaching surface for hermetically sealing said valve
housing to said bladder wall;
a lip disposed in said passageway providing a valve seat;
a stem disposed in said passageway, said stem being movable within
said passageway with respect to said valve seat;
a resilient sealing means mounted on said stem within said
passageway, said sealing means being a generally flexible circular
diaphragm with an outer annular region engaging said valve seat
when said stem is in said closed position and said stem extending
axially in said passageway along said valve seat towards said
interior and is movable to a closed position whereby said sealing
means is in contact with said valve seat thereby closing said fluid
communication through said passageway and to a open position
whereby said sealing means in displaced from said valve seat
thereby opening said fluid communication through said
passageway;
a biasing member associated with said sealing means for urging said
sealing means against said valve seat;
a first locking means on said stem, said first locking means
including a radial protuberance projecting from said stem; and
a second locking means extending into said passageway and
selectively engageable with said first locking means, said second
locking means being an extension extending into said passageway to
form a shelf for releasably mating with said protuberance when said
first and second locking means are engaged to hold said stem in
said open position against the urgence of said biasing member and
said sealing means displaced from said valve seat such that said
outer annular region of said diaphragm does not contact said valve
seat when said protuberance mates with said shelf, and permitting
said biasing member to urge said stem toward said closed position
such that said outer annular region of said diaphragm contacts said
valve seat when said protuberance is released from mating with said
shelf.
3. A valve assembly as in claim 2 further comprising an activating
means associated with an exterior side of said sealing means for
moving said sealing means from said exterior such that by pressing
said activating means forces said stem toward said interior and to
said open position, by rotating said activating means said
protuberance and said shelf mate with each other to hold said stem
to said open position, and by further rotating of said activating
means unmates said protuberance from said shelf to permit said stem
to return to said closed position.
4. A valve assembly as in claim 3 wherein said pressing said
activating means toward said interior incrementally displaces said
diaphragm incrementally from said valve seat and wherein said
diaphragm is in contact with said valve seat to close the fluid
communication between said interior and said exterior when said
activating means is not being pressed.
5. A valve assembly for inflating and deflating a bladder having a
bladder wall for separating an interior and an exterior of said
bladder, said valve assembly comprising:
a valve housing disposed in an opening of said wall, said valve
housing having a fluid passageway for providing fluid communication
between said interior and said exterior of said bladder and having
an outer attaching surface for hermetically sealing said valve
housing to said bladder wall;
a lip disposed in said passageway providing a valve seat;
a stem disposed in said passageway, said stem being movable within
said passageway with respect to said valve seat;
a resilient sealing means mounted on said stem within said
passageway, said stem being movable to a closed position whereby
said sealing means is in contact with said valve seat thereby
closing said fluid communication through said passageway and to a
open position whereby said sealing means in displaced from said
valve seat thereby opening said fluid communication through said
passageway;
a biasing member associated with said sealing means for urging said
sealing means against said valve seat;
a first locking means on said stem; and
a second locking means extending into said passageway and
selectively engageable with said first locking means, said stem
being maintained in said open position against the urging of said
biasing member and said sealing means is maintained displaced from
said valve seat when said first and second locking means are
engaged.
6. A valve assembly as in claim 1 wherein said sealing means
comprises a resilient diaphragm the outer periphery of which
engages said valve seat when said stem is in said closed
position.
7. A valve assembly as in claim 1 further comprising:
an aperture within said passageway providing access to said stem
from said exterior;
activating means associated with said stem for activating said stem
through said aperture from said exterior to move said stem and
thereby said sealing means toward said open position.
8. A valve assembly for inflating and deflating a bladder having a
bladder wall for separating an interior and an exterior of said
bladder, said valve assembly comprising:
a valve housing disposed in an opening of said wall, said valve
housing having a fluid passageway for providing fluid communication
between said interior and said exterior of said bladder and having
an outer housing wall from which extends a first flange thereabout
and a second flange thereabout, said first and second flanges being
spaced apart from each other to form a crevice, a portion of said
bladder wall being disposed in said crevice and an integral portion
of said bladder wall being wrapped about an end of said second
flange and against an interior side of said second flange so that
said bladder wall is hermetically sealed to said outer housing
wall; and
a valve means within said passageway to control the flow of fluid
through said passageway between said exterior and said
interior.
9. A valve assembly as in claim 8 including sealing means to seal
said bladder wall in said crevice.
10. A valve assembly as in claim 8 wherein said flanges extending
from said housing outer wall are formed integrally with said
housing outer wall.
11. A valve assembly for inflating with pumps having nozzles of
different sizes and deflating a bladder having a bladder wall for
separating an interior and an exterior of said bladder, said valve
assembly comprising:
a valve housing disposed in an opening of said bladder wall, said
valve housing having an exterior end extending out from said
exterior of said bladder and an interior end extending into said
interior of said bladder and having a fluid passageway extending to
said exterior end from said interior end of said housing for
providing fluid communication between said interior and said
exterior of said bladder, said passageway at said exterior end
having an exterior aperture through which said passageway is in
fluid communication with said exterior of said bladder;
a valve means within said passageway to control the flow of fluid
through said passageway between said exterior end and said interior
end;
a separate selectable first inflator adapter for different sized
pump nozzles adapted to be detachably mounted to said exterior end
of said housing, said first inflator adapter having a first
aperture of smaller size than said exterior aperture and in fluid
communication with said exterior aperture; and
a separate selectable second inflator adapter for different sized
pump nozzles adapted to be detachably mounted to said first
inflator adapter and having a second aperture of smaller size than
said first aperture and in fluid communication with said first
aperture.
12. A valve assembly as in claim 11 including first mounting means
extending about said exterior aperture and second mounting means
extending from said first inflator adapter, said first and second
mounting means matable with each other to maintain said first
inflator adapter mounted on said exterior end of said housing
relative to said exterior aperture.
13. A valve assembly as in claim 11 wherein said second inflator
adapter has first and second openings of different sizes, said
second opening being of a smaller size than said first opening and
wherein said first opening extends from said first aperture in said
first inflator adapter.
14. A valve assembly for inflating and deflating a bladder having a
bladder wall for separating an interior and an exterior of said
bladder, said valve assembly comprising:
a valve housing disposed in an opening of said wall, said valve
housing having a fluid passageway for providing fluid communication
between said interior and said exterior of said bladder and having
an outer attaching surface for hermetically sealing said valve
housing to said bladder wall;
a lip disposed in said passageway providing a valve seat;
a stem disposed in said passageway, said stem being movable within
said passageway with respect to said valve seat;
a resilient sealing means mounted on said stem within said
passageway, said stem being movable to a closed position whereby
said sealing means is in contact with said valve seat thereby
closing said fluid communication through said passageway and to an
open position whereby said sealing means in displaced from said
valve seat thereby opening said fluid communication through said
passageway;
a biasing member associated with said sealing means for urging said
sealing means against said valve seat;
a first locking member on said stem; and
a second locking member extending into said passageway, said first
locking member being selectively engageable with said second
locking member such that said stem is maintained in a fixed
position and said sealing means is maintained fixed with respect to
said valve seat when said first and second locking members are
engaged notwithstanding said urging of said biasing member.
15. A valve assembly as in claim 14 further comprising:
an aperture within said passageway providing access to said stem
from said exterior; and
activating means associated with said stem for activating said stem
through said aperture from said exterior to move said stem and
thereby said sealing means toward said open position.
16. A valve assembly as in claim 14
wherein said sealing means is a generally flexible circular
diaphragm with an outer annular region engaging said valve seat
when said stem is in said closed position;
wherein said stem extends axially in said passageway along said
seating means towards said interior;
wherein said first locking member includes a radial protuberance
projecting from said stem; and
wherein said second locking member is a shelf extending into said
passageway for releasably mating with said protuberance to maintain
said stem in said fixed position.
17. A valve assembly as in claim 16 further comprising an
activating means associated with an exterior side of said sealing
means for moving said sealing means from said exterior such that by
pressing said activating means said stem is moved towards said
interior and to said open position and by rotating said activating
means said protuberance and said shelf mate with each other to hold
said stem in said fixed position.
18. A valve assembly as in claim 17 wherein said pressing said
activating means toward said interior incrementally displaces said
sealing means incrementally from said valve seat and wherein said
sealing means is in contact with said valve seat to close the fluid
communication between said interior and said exterior when said
activating means is not being pressed .
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of inflatable
systems and apparatus, and more particularly to the valve assembly
used for inflating and deflating pneumatic bladders.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Air beds with pneumatic bladders where the user controls pressures
for comfort are known. These devices are described in several U.S.
patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,633 which issued on Dec. 18, 1990;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,363 which issued on Dec. 7, 1993, and U.S. Pat.
No. 5,367,726 which issued on Nov. 29, 1994, all to Robert Chaffee.
These three patents are hereby incorporated by reference herein as
if laid out in full.
The above inventions include a valve assembly with motorized
inflater attached such that the attaching of the motor activates
the inflation without needing an activating switch. The inflation
is fast and will continue until the motorized inflator is removed.
The inflator is designed with a large volume of air flow but at a
small pressure differential across the impeller. In this case when
the air pressure in the bladder may only be about one pound per
square inch (1 psi) the inflator cannot push more air into the
bladder. A larger valve is incorporated into the valve assembly for
deflation. In some embodiments, deflation is achieved by removing
the motorized inflator and opening the entire valve assembly via a
hinge for quick deflation. A limitation of these devices is the
requirement that the hinged opening for deflation involves a second
sealing surface. There is a concern since each sealing surface is
susceptible to leaking--fewer sealing surfaces are preferred.
Further limitations of these prior art systems, due to the two
sealing surfaces, is that the valves are larger, have more parts,
are more expensive, are more complex, and are less reliable.
In the prior art there is disclosed a electrically activated (via a
switch in a 120 VAC power line), plug-in, motorized inflator that
is attached to a valve in an air bed. The activating switch may be
constructed and arranged with a pressure relief mechanism
incorporated into the valve. The user can incrementally increase or
decrease the pressure by activating the switch or the relief
mechanism, respectively, to suit the comfort of the user.
It is an object of the present invention to provide one valve that
performs three functions. A first function allows fast automatic
inflation; a second function provides comfort control; and the
third functions allows fast deflation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a single
sealing surface while still providing the above three
functions.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide means
for comfort control by incrementally opening the valve to release
pressure very slowly or more quickly depending upon what is
desired.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a
releasable locking system for bladder deflation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a reliable
valve assembly with an adapter set that allows inflation from a
variety of sources having different nozzle sizes, e.g. the
Aero.RTM. pump, vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above objects are met in a valve assembly for controlling the
inflation and deflation of an inflatable bladder or other
inflatable device defining an interior and an exterior. The valve
is disposed between the interior and the exterior and includes: a
housing with a through passageway from the exterior and the
interior, an attaching surface for attaching the valve to the
bladder is provided that surrounds the housing, means for
substantially hermetically sealing said attaching surface to the
bladder, a sealing surface or lip extending into said passageway,
said interior side of the sealing surface defining a valve seat,
diaphragm means constructed to mate with said valve seat defining
closed and open positions, and when closed thereby sealing said
interior from said exterior preventing fluid exchange therebetween,
and when opened thereby allowing fluid communication between said
interior and said exterior, support and guide means attached to
said housing, said support and guide means capturing and supporting
said diaphragm means and guiding said diaphragm means to engage
said valve seat around the entire periphery of said valve seat when
closed, means for forcing said diaphragm means against said valve
seat, and releasable means for holding said diaphragm in said open
position.
In a preferred embodiment the attaching surface is a flange that is
sealed to the device material and in another preferred embodiment
the attaching surface is a threaded surface that engaged a mating
threaded surface built into the device. The device in a preferred
embodiment is a flexible bladder.
In another preferred embodiment the passageway and the valve seat
and diaphragm means are circular, the diaphragm is flexible, and
there is access from the exterior side such that an external force
may be applied that opens the diaphragm means, and means are
provided to hold the valve open when the external force is removed.
On the interior side of the housing a shelf is provided, and a stem
is attached to and extends from about the center of the diaphragm
means past the shelf. A protuberance radially extending from the
stem is positioned to engage the shelf when the stem is rotated.
The spring force holds the protuberance against the shelf until the
stem is rotated back or forward such that the protuberance is no
longer aligned with the shelf whereupon the spring forces the stem
and the diaphragm means back to the closed position. The shelf can
have a hump or anti-rotation means that requires the stem to be
pushed farther against the spring such that the protuberance can
clear the hump when rotated--then releasing the pressure will cause
the valve to close.
Another preferred embodiment includes an axially slotted tube with
a circumferential slot to accept the protuberance and hold the
valve opened. The slot extends axially along the tube. At a
position along the axial slot a second circumferential slot
intersects the axial slot, this second slot is constructed
partially around the circumference of the tube cross section. The
protuberance engages this second slot when the diaphragm is rotated
thereby rotating the protuberance. There is a spring load, in a
preferred embodiment, that retains the diaphragm open by retaining
the protuberance in the second slot by friction. In another
preferred embodiment there is an anti-rotation hump in the second
slot that prevents the diaphragm means from reentering the axial
slot without further pushing against the spring means. This type of
locking mechanism is referred to as a bayonet lock. In another
preferred embodiment there is a second axial slot to which the
protuberance can be positioned for closing the diaphragm means by
rotating in the same direction as when first engaging the holding
circumferential slot.
In another preferred embodiment the exterior side of the diaphragm
has an extension that is accessible from the exterior. Pressing
inwardly against a spring force on this extension forces the
diaphragm opened. Releasing this pressing allows the diaphragm
means to close. In this manner the user can incrementally open the
valve to control the interior pressure to suit the user. If
desired, the user can lock the valve opened to quickly deflate the
device.
An advantage of the present invention, referred to before, is that
there is only one sealing surface whereby the bladder can be
inflated, deflated in a controlled fashion or totally deflated in a
reasonably quick time. The single sealing surface provides,
inherently, better sealing reliability while being less expensive,
smaller, and using fewer mechanical parts.
In another preferred embodiment there is an adapter set that allows
a variety of different sized nozzles to inflate the bladder.
Other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the
following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a pictorial detail of a preferred embodiment of the valve
assembly mechanism in the opened state;
FIG. 2 is a pictorial detail of FIG. 1, but in a closed state;
FIG. 3 is a cross section of another preferred embodiment; and
FIG. 4 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the valve;
FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 show in detail a preferred locking mechanism;
and
FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, and 8D show an assembly of adapters.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows the inventive valve in cross section installed in an
inflatable bladder or other such pneumatic device. The valve is
shown in a cylindrical form in an open latched state that allows
air 6 an escape path from the interior 4 to the exterior 2. There
is a housing 8 that is hermetically sealed and attached to the
flexible bladder 10 at the locations 12. The housing material is a
PVC material that is known in the art. There are double flange 14
and 15 that encircle the valve housing. The bladder material 10 is
fit into the crevice between the flanges and another piece of the
bladder material 10' surrounds the flange 15. There is a seal at
location 12 made by known methods via heat sealing or mechanical
sealing with a clip or combination thereof which attaches the
flanges 14 and 15 to the material 10 and 10'. The housing extends
16 into the interior of the inflatable device. A framework of
preferably PVC 18 is attached to the housing extension 16 and
provides a holding and guiding mechanism for the stem 20. There is
a coaxial tube 22 within the stem 20, and there is a spring 24
coiled in the tube 22. The spring is anchored to the bottom 26 of
the framework 18. The other end of the spring is attached to a
diaphragm assembly 28. The spring is in compression so that it is
trying to elongate itself and force the diaphragm 28 farther away
from the bottom 26. The spring works to urge the valve closed as
shown in FIG. 2. However, in FIG. 1, there are two protuberances 30
and 30' that extend radially from the stem 20. These protuberances
30 and 30' engage a shelf 32 that is formed as part of the
framework 18. As shown in FIG. 1 the valve is opened and locked
open by the engagement of the protuberances 30, 30' and the shelf
32. In this position, there is a space between the end of the
diaphragm 28 and the sloped wall 34. There are apertures in the
framework that physically allows air 6 pass through the valve.
FIG. 2 shows the valve in a closed position. The stem 20 has been
twisted such that the protuberances 30 and 30' do not engage the
shelf 32. The spring drives the stem 20 upward forcing the
diaphragm 28 to engage the wall 34 and form a seal that prevents
air from escaping. The spring and any air pressure within the
bladder act to maintain the seal.
Still referring to FIG. 2 there is a top location button 36 that is
physically accessible from the exterior. A human finger may be
inserted touching and manipulating the tactile surface of 36. The
air pressure and the spring force are in the order of a few ounces
or so and is easily overcome by pressing the button 36 inward. By
this pressing the stem 20 is depressed forcing the seal between the
diaphragm 28 and the wall 34 to be broken and allowing air to
escape from the bladder. There is a retaining washer 37 under the
button 36 and on top of the seal material 26. By intermittently
depressing location button 36 to release air the air pressure in
the bladder and so the firmness of the bladder may be lowered for
comfort control. If the bladder is the mattress of an air bed, the
comfort of a human lying on the bed can be accommodated by this
adjusting of the firmness.
Still referring to FIG. 2, location 36 is constructed with a
tactile or somewhat adhering or "sticky" surface. A human finger
pressing with a light (say a few ounces) can depress and rotate the
stem by rotating the finger. In other preferred embodiments a slot
38 suitable for a screw driver may be formed to allow rotation.
Other small extensions or protuberances may be formed at the upper
surface of the location button 36 to accommodate rotation of the
stem.
The protuberance 30 is in a channel that allows the stem to clear
or engage the shelf 22. The protuberance 30' acts as a stop, as
discussed below. The human can depress the stem against the spring
and any internal air pressure in the bladder, and rotate the stem
to lock and retain the valve open by aligning the protuberance and
the shelf. The dimensions of the valve and the seal 24 can run from
quite small, substantially less than an inch wide, to quite large,
many inches wide, to accommodate a wide variety of bladders. If the
valve is less than an inch wide a pencil, small screw driver or
other thin object may be needed to depress location button 36. In
such an instance, a slot 38 may be formed in location button 36 to
allow rotation and thereby to allow the air to escape deflating the
bladder in a few minutes depending on the size of the bladder.
FIG. 3 shows the inventive valve with a screw thread 44 formed into
the housing 40. In this instance, the bladder has a matching
receptacle 46 in cross section with dual flanges 48 and 50. The
flanges are attached by known means to the bladder 52. The
receptacle has a screw thread 42 that matches the thread 44 on the
valve. The valve moves into 54 and screws into the receptacle. The
matching threads are constructed and arranged to form an air tight
seal by methods known in the art.
FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 show the detail interaction of the shelf 32 and
the protuberances 30 and 30' described above. In FIG. 4 the shelf
32 is not aligned vertically with the protuberances 30 and 30'. In
this position the protuberances are free to move vertically as
indicated by the arrows. In this position the valve allows filling
of the bladder when there is an external air pressure that is
greater than the spring force and the internal air pressure of the
bladder. If there is no filling air pressure the spring and the
internal air pressure in the bladder will force the valve closed,
as discussed regarding FIG. 2, maintaining the air pressure in the
bladder. Additionally, as discussed above, location button 36 of
FIG. 2 can be depressed opening the bladder incrementally to
reduce, as desired, the air pressure in the bladder.
FIG. 5, a cross section through the shelf 32 and the protuberances
30 and 30' shows the relative interaction of these elements. FIG. 5
has these elements in the same relative position as in FIG. 4 where
the protuberances 30 and 30' can move vertically relative to each
other. However, the arrows indicate how the rotation of the stem
allows the protuberances to engage the shelf 32 to prevent the
vertical motion that would close the valve. The protuberances 30
and 30' can be rotated under the shelf as indicated by the arrows
in FIG. 5. The protuberances have been depressed and rotated under
the shelf 32 to align the shelf 32 and the protuberance 30.
Protuberance 30' forms a stop such that the rotation is limited.
The height of the protuberance 30' is constructed to engage the
side of the shelf to prevent the protuberance 30 from passing to
the other side of the shelf 32. FIG. 6 shows the relative position
when the valve is locked open allowing deflation. There is a small
lip 32' extending from the shelf 32 that acts as a bayonet lock to
retain the elements in the position of FIG. 6. In this state the
valve is locked open to allow deflation with no further interaction
with the valve. In another preferred embodiment the stop 30' may be
deleted.
In order to inflate the bladder in a normal fashion location button
36 of FIG. 1 must be depressed so that protuberance 30 clears the
lip 32', then location button 36 must be rotated to where the
protuberance 30 clears the shelf 32 vertically allowing the spring
to close the valve. The bladder can be inflated with the valve
locked opened, however, when complete the stem must be rotated back
to the relative position of FIG. 5 to allow the spring and the
internal air pressure to close the valve and retain air pressure in
the bladder.
FIG. 7 is a top view of the valve of FIGS. 1 and 2. Location button
36 is shown in the center and the flexible seal 28 is shown with
the retaining washer 37. There are air passages 62 through the
washer 37. The flanges 14 and 15 are shown at the periphery. The
housing 8 has a top rim 39 on FIG. 2 with two ears 60 and 60' that
extend outward from this top rim. FIG. 8A shows this top rim in a
pictorial view.
FIGS. 8A, B, and C show a set of adapters that accommodate a
variety of inflation nozzles. FIG. 8A shows the ears 60 and 60'.
There is an opening 70 into which the nozzle of an inflator fits
allowing inflation of the bladder. However, other possible
inflation sources exist that may have nozzles that do not fit the
opening 70. FIG. 8B shows an adapter 72 with extensions 74 and 74'
that engage the ears 60 and 60' to hold the adapter 72 to the valve
housing 8. As shown, the adapter must be rotated 90 degrees and
inserted over the rim 39 with the extension 74 and 74' clearing the
ears 60 and 60'. The barrel 76 is constructed to fit interferingly
with the opening 70. The adapter is then rotated back the 90
degrees to engage the extensions 74, 74' and the ears 60, 60' to
retain the adapter to the valve. The through hole 78 is smaller
than the opening 70 to accommodate other nozzle sizes. FIG. 8C
shows another adapter 80 with a tubular extension 82 that
interferingly fits into the opening 78 of adapter 72. This fit is a
friction only fit, but interlocking or bayonet locking may be used
to advantage. There is a through hole 84 in adapter 80 that is
smaller yet than hole 78 to accommodate even smaller nozzles. A
tether 86 may be provided to keep the adapters together, and the
tether may be formed into a ring 88 that is fit around the neck of
the valve so that the valve and the adapters are always together.
It should be noted that the adapter could provide a larger opening.
For example, the through hole 84 could have different sized
openings on each end of the hole. FIG. 8D shows such an adapter
where there the adapter allows a larger nozzle opening 90 to adapt
to a smaller opening 78. In such cases the air pressure alone from
the inflator is used to open the valve against the spring, but
other physical extensions (not shown) from the nozzles could be
used, or alternatively the valve could be locked open and then
closed immediately after inflation.
It will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that other
embodiments, improvements, details and uses can be made consistent
with the letter and spirit of the foregoing disclosure and within
the scope of this patent, which is limited only by the following
claims, construed in accordance with the patent law, including the
doctrine of equivalents.
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